Our World Championships analysis series continues with a look at the women’s discus
A major surprise came in the first final in 1983 as world record-holder Galina Savinkova of Russia was short of 60 metres and ended up 11th. Meg Ritchie’s eighth place in 62.50m in Helsinki is far and away the best British performance thus far. Gold went to the supposedly East German No.2 Martina Opitz, who had the three best throws.
Opitz returned in Rome in 1987 under her married name Hellmann and became the first athlete in any event to retain her title. She opened with 71.08m and followed up with 71.62m in the fourth as the East Germans took three of the first four places. Fourth with 68.20m was world junior record-holder Ilke Wyludda, who would soon dominate the event.
By the time of Tokyo in 1991, Wyludda had a 40-competition unbeaten run and she took control with 68.78m in the second and then strengthened her lead with 69.00m and 69.12m in the fourth and fifth round. However, there was a major shock in the final round when Bulgarian Tsvetanka Khristova launched a 71.02m to take the title. Hellmann finished fourth. The Bulgarian failed a drugs test in 1993, was banned for four years and died of cancer in 2008.
In Stuttgart in 1993, Wyludda headed qualifying for the third successive championships, but she was just 11th in a mediocre final won by Russian Olga Burova, who had the three best throws and was the only one over 66 metres.
Wyludda again was the best qualifier in Gothenburg in 1995 and the favourite. The winner, though, was Ellina Zvereva, who had been 11th in 1991 and a non-qualifier in 1993. The Belarusian sewed up gold with a 68.64m throw with Wyludda settling for second after 67.20m in the fifth round.
Beatrice Faumuina threw an unavailing 54.32m in Germany and then also struggled in qualifying in Athens in 1997 with two no-throws. She responded with 64.58m to make the final and then opened up in the final with two no-throws. Despite the pressure, she excelled with a do-or-die 66.82m, which not only gave her three more throws but ultimately won her the gold. Zvereva was second.
In Seville in 1997, Athens bronze medallist Sadova was favourite as she was the only thrower over 70 metres that year, but she could only manage fourth place and couldn’t better 65 metres. The gold went to Franka Dietzsch, who won her first global medal for 11 years – a world junior silver – and she had the three best throws of the day with 68.14m giving her a record 2.09m margin of victory.
In Edmonton in 2001, another world junior medallist from 11 years earlier, Sadova, appeared to have won gold. The Russian threw a world-leading 68.57m but lost her title due to an excess of caffeine. Gold was transferred to 1995 champion Zvereva, who aged 40 became the oldest world champion in any event.
Belarus retained the title in Paris in 2013 with the second oldest ever female champion, Irina Yatchenko. Yatchenko opened with 67.32m, which narrowly prevailed as the winning mark as Greece took the other medals.
Sadova won the 2004 Olympics and was favourite for Helsinki in 2005. However, the Russian had to settle for silver behind Dietzsch, who regained her title six years after her first. In her eighth championships, the German won with five of the six best throws capped by a 66.56m.
Dietzsch threw a similar distance in her ninth championships in Osaka in 2007 as she took her third gold. The Russian Darya Pishchalnikova was the only thrower to come within two metres of her but she later lost her silver
due to tampering with an earlier drugs sample and was disqualified.
In Berlin in 2009, the 2005 world youth and 2006 world junior champion Dani Samuels completed the golden set by surprisingly winning the senior title, though her 65.44m was the shortest winning distance in history. Behind the Australian, Yarelis Barrios won her second successive silver while Nicoleta Grasu won a record fourth medal in third.
China’s Li Yangfeng won a fairly forgettable final in Daegu in 2011 as Barrios won a third medal in third.
The standard was higher in Moscow in 2013 as Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic won easily with 67.99m. Behind the Croatian, silver medallist Melina Robert-Micho set a French record. Barrios won her fourth successive medal in third.
Discus
Year | Winner | Throw | GB position and mark
1983 Martina Opitz (GDR) 68.94 8 Meg Ritchie 62.50
1987 Martina Hellmann (GDR) 71.62 No competitor
1991 Tsvetanka Khristova (BUL) 71.02 nq Jackie McKernan 55.64
1993 Olga Burova (RUS) 67.40 nq Jackie McKernan 56.14
1995 Ellina Zvereva (BLR) 68.64 nq Jackie McKernan 54.78
1997 Beatrice Faumuina (NZL) 66.82 nq Shelley Drew 53.96
1999 Franka Dietzsch (GER) 68.14 No competitor
2001 Ellina Zvereva (BLR) 67.10 No competitor
2003 Irina Yatchenko (BLR) 67.32 nq Shelley Newman 57.65
2005 Franka Dietzsch (GER) 66.56 No competitor
2007 Franka Dietzsch (GER) 66.61 No competitor
2009 Dani Samuels (AUS) 65.44 No competitor
2011 Li Yangfeng (CHN) 66.52 No competitor
2013 Sandra Perkovic (CRO) 67.99 No competitor
Points table (8 for 1st etc)
1. GER 103
2. RUS 46
3. CUB 40
4. CHN 39
5. BLR 36
6. RUM 33
7= BUL 29
7= GRE 29
9. AUS 19
10= NZL 17
10= URS 17
10= USA 17
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